Tube cleaning device



March 19, 1940. G. w. ALLEN TUBE CLEANING DEVICE Filed June 4, 1937 v od is unsatisfactory, due to the time required to- Patented Mar. 19, 1940 PATENT OFFICE TUBE CLEANING DEVICE George W. Allen, Boston, Mass., assignor to B. F.

Stnrtevant Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 4, 1937, Serial No. 146,446

40mins. (Cl. 15-10435) The present invention relates to tube cleaning devices, and more particularly to a tool for loosening and removing foreign matter from the interior of boiler tubes and the like.

The conventional method of cleaning boiler tubes inv olves the use of a brush or scraper or a combination of the two bywhich the foreign matter may be loosened and, by. repeated reciprocation of the cleaning tool along the tube, scraped out .of the tube at each end. Such methremove the loosened matter from the tube. and because of the necessity for collecting the material from each end of the boiler after the scraping operation has been performed.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a tube cleaning device of novel and improved construction which enables the loosening and removal of foreign matter from a tube at a single passage of the device through the tube.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube cleaning tool of simple construction and arrangement in which the removal from the tube v of foreign matter loosened by the device is performed pneumatically and in a more effective manner than heretofore.

With these and other objects in view, a feature of the invention comprises a tube cleaning tool which; in addition to brushing and scraping members for loosening the foreign matter, is provided with a suction inlet adapted to be connected to a suction device located outside the tube for withdrawing the' foreign matter from the tube, the suction inlet being so positioned in the device that large quantities of comparatively heavy material may be readily drawn into the inlet and'carried out of the tube.

Another feature of the invention comprises a tubecleaning device provided with a suction inlet and having baiiling means adapted to cooperate therewith whereby the air flowing to the inlet may be concentrated in a stream of high velocity adjacent the wall of the tube, with theresult that the effectiveness of the suction in removing the loosened foreign matter is substantially increased.

A further feature of the invention comprises a tube cleaning device adapted to be reciprocated within and along a boiler tube and the like, the

tool being constructed and arranged so' that it within a boiler tube, and showing a portion of the tubular actuating handle of the device, and Fig. 2 ls-a view illustrating the device and its associated apparatus arranged to carry out the tube a flange portion 6 and a hub portion 8. The

flange is of a diameter only slightly less than the interior of the tube, in order that positive scraping action may be afforded around the entire interior of the tube at a single passage of the cleaning device therethrough.

The rear face of the flange is beveled around its outer edge 9, as indicated in Fig. 1, not only for the purpose of-providing a narrowandhence more effective scraping edge, but also to render the device self-centering to enable it readily to be drawn back into the tube in case it is pushed entirely through the same and out the far end thereof.

The scraping member is provided with an aperture Ill in the flange portion 6 and extending through the hub 8, said aperture serving as a suction inlet through which the loosened foreign matter is removed from the tube during the cleaning operation. The suction inlet is preferably positioned eccentrically with respect to the flange 6, so that with the tool properly oriented within the tube to position the suction inlet at its lowest point, the said inlet is brought into close proximity to the loosened material which naturally -for reciprocating the cleaning device along the interior of the tube, and also as a suction conduit through which the foreign material is carried from the suction inlet ii]. The handle is secured to the scraping member by any suitable means, illustrated in the drawing as a set screw it in the handle l2 and engaging an annular groove IS in the hub 8.

Suction is imparted to the inlet Ill in the scraping member by a suitable suction device l8 located outside the tube and connected by a flexible hose 20 to the outer end of the tubular handle H. The suction means illustrated in Fig. 2 comprises a well known portable unit .of commercial type, having a motor driven suction fan and a selfcontained dirt collecting bag or receptacle.

Mounted upon and in spaced relation to the scraping member 4 is a baifie plate or disk 22, which is adapted to cooperate with the scraping member to increase the suction of the stream of air flowing to the inlet Ill. The baflle plate is of somewhat smaller diameter than the flange 6, and is concentrically positioned with {respect rial, the cleaning device is provided with a brush member 28 at the forward end thereof. The brush is made up of stiff wire bristles slightly longer than the diameter of the tube and which are gripped in a core 30 of twisted wire. The core is clamped in a short length of tubing or pipe 32 threaded at one end and screwed into a tapped hole in the center of the baiile plate 22. Preferably a space is provided between the brush and the baffle plate, as illustrated in the drawings, in order that the brush may not interfere with the acceleration of the air stream adjacent the baffle plate.

The device of the invention is'utilized to carry out the tube cleaning operation in a boiler or the like by attaching the tool to one end of the tubular handle l2, the set screw I being tightened just sufllciently to engage the annular groove IS without restricting relative rotation of the parts. The handle may comprise either a single section of length at least equal to the length of the tubes to be cleaned, or several sections with suitable interlocking joints ,for convenience in handling, or for use where space is limited. The other end of the handle is attached to the flexible hose leading tothe suction unit, and the fan motor started.

The tool, before its insertionin the tube, is rotated relative to the handle to bring the suction inlet III to its lowest point with respect to the flange 8, and the set screw tightened to lock the parts against relative rotation. The device is then inserted in the tube and advanced to the far end thereof by short reciprocating strokes. To insure that the entire length of the tube may be effectively cleaned, the tool is preferably pushed entirely through the tube and out the other end. The device may be drawn back into the tube without difficulty even though the far end thereof is inaccessible, due to the beveled rear edge 9 which renders-the device substantially self-centering for rearward movement when properly oriented as described.

During the advancing or cleaning movement of the device the brush 28 loosens and stirs up the soot and ashes or the like, the lighter particles of which are caught up by the stream of air being drawn through the brush to the suction inlet. As the air stream passes around the baffle plate, its velocity increases, due to the reduction in area of the passage, the added suction drawing the heavier particles of foreign matter to the inlet. These particles, together with the relatively heavy fragments which areidislodged by the pos-,

itive scraping action of the flanged member are readily drawn into the suction inlet by reason of its position adjacent the bottom of the tube, since the foreign matter naturally gravitates to the low portion thereof.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in. a specific construction and arrangement, the; invention is not to be understood as being so limited, but. extends to other Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device for cleaning the interior of tubes and the like comprising a scraping blade member substantially the diameter of the interior of the tube and provided with a suction inlet adapted to be connected to a suction device, and an imperiorate baille plate spaced from and supported by said member adjacent the suction inlet and of somewhat lesser diameter than the member to form-an open annular air passage adjacent the walls of the tube to cause the stream of air to flow through said passage at high velocity over the surface of said walls to said suction inlet.

2. A device for cleaning the interior of tubes and the like comprising a scraping member substantially the diameter of the interior of the tube and provided with a suction inlet adapted to be connected to a suction device, an imperforate baiile plate spaced from the scraping member and of somewhat lesser diameter than the same to form an open annular air passage adjacent the walls of the tube to cause the stream of air to flow through said passage at high velocity over .the surface of said walls to said suction inlet, and a brush member mounted in proximate spaced relation to the baffle plate and on the opposite side thereof from the scraping member and the suction inlet, thereby to loosen the lighter particles of foreign matter on the wall so they may be than the member to form an open, annular air passage adjacent the walls of the tube, and a suction passage adapted to be connected to a suction device at one end and having an inlet port in fluid communication with the space between said scraper and said baille.

4. A device for cleaning the interior of tubes and the like, comprising a scraping blade member substantially the diameter of the interior of the tube and having a suction inlet passage disposed in the front face thereof,'an imperforate bafiie plate of somewhat lesser diameter than the scraping member, relatively slender supports carried thereby for supporting the baflie plate in proximate spaced relation to the scraping member opposite the suction inlet therein to form an open, annular air passage adjacent the walls of the tube to cause the stream of air to flow through said passage at high velocity over said ,walls'to the suction inlet, and a brush member supported by the baiile plate on the opposite side thereof from the scraping member, said scraping GEORGE W. ALLEN. 

